Speaking with French President François Hollande, Kerry expressed "the full and heartfelt condolences of the American people" for the terrorist attacks of this past month, beginning with the strike on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

He was joined by Taylor who performed his well-known version of the Carole King song "You've Got a Friend." Taylor was in Paris promoting an upcoming European tour.

The move to involve Taylor immediately drew criticism on social media, particularly from conservatives.

Nothing screams tough on terror and never again more than having James Taylor sing at a press conference. Wow. https://t.co/P6WUkiBH9N

Kerry, for his part, praised the French for their response to the attacks.

"But the American people watch you and your team, and indeed all of the government lead with great elegance and grace in this week, during this difficult time," he said, according to the State Department "And we watched the people of France come together with a great sense of purpose and unity. It was a great lesson to the world, I think."

The visit comes after critics slammed the White House for not sending anyone with a higher profile than the U.S. ambassador to France to a solidarity march on Sunday in the aftermath of the attacks. The event was attended by dozens of other heads of state from around the world.